Method for producing cutter blades for slicing machines



May 28, 1935. J. HANSEN 2,002,812

METHOD FOR PRODUCING CUTTER BLADES FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed July 1, 1933 INVENTOR.

BY W W M ATTORNEY.

Patented May 28, 1935 METHOD FOR PRODUCING CUTTER BLADES FOR SLICIN G MACHINES John Hansen, Bettendorf, Iowa Application July 1, 1933, Serial No. 678,631

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of producing cutter blades, and particularly cutter blades for use in slicing machines. The blade set forth herein is of special service in bread-slicing machines.

ing the edges of the indentations of a cutting blade having an indented cutting edge, in such manner that the beveled portions of adjacent indentations substantially terminate and intersect each other in a series of points in alignment with each other on a center line of the blade. 1

Another object is to provide a method whereby such blades can be economically and exp e-" ditiously produced with great accuracy by the use of simple means.

A further object is to provide a method of producing such blades wherein accuracy in the production thereof can be maintained, which accuracy is not greatly dependent upon the contour of the face of the abrasive means employed in forming the cutting edges of the blade.

A'still further object is to provide a method of forming cutting blades .in which a thin resilient blade is presented in a curved shape to an abrasive means, in such manner that the abrasive means removes a portion of the metal from the curved surface at the cutting edge to provide an indentation at such edge or to bevel the edge of the indentation when such indentation is preformed in the blade. The bending of the blade is only temporary, such blade being restored at the end of the operation to its original form of its own resiliency.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a method whereby the cutting edges of the blade can be readily and expeditiously renewed upon becoming dull, whereby the life of such blades can be greatly prolonged, and their sphere of usefulness enlarged. 4

With the above and other objects in View, which will be apparent from the following detailed description, the present invention consists in certain novel features which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

In the drawing, which illustrates suitable embodiments of the invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a strip of thin metal, preferably tempered steel or other metal possessing a high degree of flexibility and resiliency blanked out to blade-like form;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the blank showing one edge thereof further blanked to provide an indented contour at the cutting edge;

Fig. 3 is a further side elevation showing the shape and contour of the cutting edge of th completed blade; Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the blade looking toward the cutting edge, and showing the manner in which adjacent beveled indentations of the cutting edge sharply intersect each other;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken approximately on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic plan view showing an abrasive wheel and the blank blade of Fig. 2 flexed and positioned adjacent thereto in grinding position;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 7, showing the angular relationship of the flexed cutter blade and abrasive surface;

Fig. 9 is a modified diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 7, but showing the blank cutter blade flexed only in the region where the grinding operation is to be performed;

Fig. 10 is a further modified diagrammatic view showing the flexed cutter blade in a position to be presented to the flat lateral face' of a grinding wheel rather than to the circumferential face; and

Fig. 11 is a further modified diagrammatic view showing the flexed blade blank positioned so that its surface is inclined in respect to the plane of the abrasive wheel.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, the cutter blade I to be formed in accordance with my invention is in the form of a suitable resilient metal strip, and the cutting edge thereof is provided with a series of indentations 2, preferably curved, which provide for the spaced points 3, as shown in Fig. 2. In order to provide keen cutting edges, the blade I is beveled at least at one side (here, however, the blade is shown as beveled at both sides), and it will be noted that the curved facet or bevel 4 for point 3.

each identation 2 sharply intersects the corremanner that the indentations and bevels will ocsponding bevelfl of the next adjacent indentation cur at pre-determined locations and with the in a relatively sharp edge or ridge 5 which likepoints 3 properly formed between the same. wise is beveled from the side of the blade to the By so grinding the bevels progressively while the blade is flexed to a curved shape, it is obvi- It has been found that by so forming the cutous that the bevels 4 of adjacent indentations 2 ting edge with distinct and sharply pronounced will intersect each other sharply and thus provide edges or ridges 5 between adjacent bevels of the the pronounced ridges 5 therebetween. indentations 2, materially, advantageous results Instead of moving the blade relative to the are obtained with cutter blades of this character, abrasive means, this blade may, however, be held and particularly so when such blades are used stationary and the abrasive means 6 moved relain connection with the slicing of soft articles, such tive to the blade. as bread. In the operating position of the blade In some cases, such as indicated in Fig. 9, the these points are in alignment with each other, blade may be flexed only at the region of the and upon the blade being given the usual recipbevels to be ground or the indentations to be rocating movement the points move back and formed, and the blade progressively flexed as the forth along a straight line of incision. successive facets 4 are to be ground or the suc- In producing the cutter blade in accordance cessive indentations 2 to be formed. with the method of my invention, I employ an As indicated in Fig. 10, the flexed blade may abrasive means. l h as the rotatable grinding be angularly presented to the lateral face of the wheel 6 shown n the drawing, it be u d abrasive means 6 instead of to the circumferential however, that Other forms 0f as face, or, as indicated in Fig. 11, the flexed blade s, Such as disc grinders, reciprocable abramay be disposed so that its surface is at an insive means or any other tools of the kind suitlinetion to the plane of. the grinding wheel 6. a e o the pu p y be employed, and that In each case, however, it will be noted that these come With n t pe of y inVentiOnthe blade is flexed to a curved shape, at least The blade blan y b directly aetedhpen at the region where the operation is to be perto completely form the indentation 2 during the formed d i disposed at an angle to-theface grinding Operation, but it if d, be fi of the abrasive means, so that upon. relative Provided With the indentations 2 through the movements of the blade and abrasive means a medium of a separate blanking operation in order body of metal is removed from the curved to obviate the necessity of removing the surplus face, ith providing completed bevel edged meta y abrasion, end'then p y e rindin indentation 2 when a straight edge of a blade operation to provide the curved facets or beveled bl k is acted upon, or a rv d facet a at the Surfac s at the edges of the indentationsedge of each indentation when the indentations In t preferred form of my method the blade are pre-formed. Since a flat portion is formed I whi h is blanked to the shape illustrated in by the abrasive action through the presentation F s. 1 and 2 1S flexed, as shown In o a of a curved surface to a flat abrasive surface, it urved s ap n i hap it is held during the is obvious that these flat surfaces forming the grinding operation. This may be accomplished, bevels 4 will sharply intersect each other to proof course, by mounting the Same on a Suitable jig vide the distinct and pronounced ridges 5 end-- 9 mandrel (notshowm- In the ease shown they ing in the points 3 which materially assist the ache would he of chchlar form, the blade would tion of the cutting blade in the slicing of soft he f h thereon throflghout lehgthq F articles, such as bread. In this operation a loaf blade ln lts flexed form is then dlsposed adJacent of bread is moved against the cutting edge f the the ebreslve Wheel Wlth thefiet ee 0f the blade to the depth of the indentations, and as the blade at ah angle F the'clrchmferehtlal face incision is made a movement of the blade in of the Wheel as mdwetee h and 15 then one direction forces 'one half of each arc-shaped moved parallel to the grmdlhg wheel face from edge between a line indicated in Fig. 3 by the the position indicated at A in solid outline t0 broken line 5 5 and one of th points 3 t h Position ihdlcated at in dotted outhhe the bread. Another movement of the bread follh h Passage of the blade acms the lows, and the return action of the blade produces face of the ermdmg Wheel removes a Portwn Of a similar effect with the other halves of the the Curved Surface of the blade slde at the arcuate edges. It is thereforeessential that the ting edge and bevelsthe edge of the indentation points he in straight 1ine v f, h w v the indentation w not p v If desired, "the indentation or bevel could be ously formed, such passage across the face of formed by moving t flexed blade t right am the abrasivemeans would also form the indentaglee to th face of th b i a th t i tlOh s wellfias the b ve by reason of the ina direction at right angles to the axis of the angular position of the blade relative to the face i din h l, i t d, f passing th same o the grinding W across a face of the abrasive means. But here After thls movement O the blade across the the accuracy of contour would be somewhat deface of the grinding wheel, the blade is given a. pendent upon the face of the abrasive means bepredetermined indexing movement. in the direcing and remaining tru especially wh it i d tion o its le t Corresponding to the Space o sired to bevel both sides of each indentation. one indentation 2, to presentanother curved blade portion to the abrasive wheel, and the process is means at an angle and moving the same across then repeated until the blade is completed at one the face of' the abrasive means, I have provided side. Upon such completion the blade is removed a method of producing indented cutting blades from the jig, and upon being released returns at wherein accuracy in the production of such once to its original form by force of its own reblades can be maintained without the same besiliency. When it is desired to bevel the other 'ing greatly dependent on the contour of the face side of the blade, the blade is, of course, flexed of the abrasive means. in the opposite direction and the process is re- The indentations and bevels may be formed at peated as previously described, and in such a both edges of the cutter blade, in the manner pre- By presenting the flexed blade to the abrasive be of different lengths along the edge of the to bring the blade into predetermined positions same while so held across the face of an ab viously described. Furthermore, the indentations along the edge of the blade may be alter blade and may also-be of different depths.

when the blades have become'dull through use they can be removed from the machine and resharpened in the same manner as has been pointed out herein for producing the blades in the first instance.

Aside from the specific embodiments of the invention herein described, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I do not desire to limit my invention to the exact procedure herein set forth, as I desire to claim the same broadly'as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The method of making a cutting blade, which comprises bending a straight resilient blade to produce a definite curvature therein, holding one edge of said blade in its bent form and passing the same across. the face of an abrasive means to remove a body of metal from the bent surface to produce a curved facet in its cutting edge, said blade upon being released being restored by force of its own resiliency to its shape before being bent. v

2. Themethod of making a. cutting blade, which comprises bending a straight. resilient blade to present a definitely curved surface, holding said blade in its bent form and passing ,the

msive means in such a plane as to remove metal from the curved surface to produce a beveled indentation in its cutting edge, and shifting said blade longitudinally of itself to form a plurality of such beveled indentations, said blade upon .ment to each indentation to provide a beveled facet therefor, bending said blade into oppositely bent form in properly gauged position with relation to said indentations, and repeating the operation on the opposite side thereof, forming a wedge-shaped cutting edge throughout said indentations and points.

4. A method of making a cutting blade, comprising bending and holding said blade-to a curved shape with a predetermined are, passing an abrasive means across said blade at a curved surface thereof in a plane to remove a portion of such curved surface and produce a beveled indentation in the cutting edge of said blade,

shifting said blade longitudinally of itself to repeat the formation of said beveled indentation, thereby to forma series of such indentations, reversing said blade into oppositely curved formation and repeati g said process to abrade the opposite side of s 6. blade, the shiftmg of the blade in the last-"amed process being such as coinciding with those of the original positioning of said blade.

5. A method for sharpening a cutting blade having its edge in the form of a series of beveled indentations with alternating points in alignment with each other, which comprises flexing a resilient blade to present a substantially straight surface, applying an abrasive element to said surface with a relative lateral movement of the blade and abrasive element and repeating said application at other indentations along the length of said blade, said blade upon being released being restored by force of its own resiliency to its shape before being bent.

6. A method of making a cutting blade, comprising bending said blade to a curved shape, holding said blade in its bent shape, abrading the convex surface of said blade in a plane to remove metal from such face and produce an indentation in its cutting edge, reversing said blade into oppositely bent formation andrepeating said process to abrade the opposite side of said blade.

7.A method of making a cutting blade, comprising bending said blade to a curved shape,

holding said blade in its bent shape, .abrading the convex surface of said blade in-a plane'to remove metal from such. face and produce an indentation in its cutting edge, shifting said blade longitudinally of itself to form a plurality of such indentations, reversing said blade into oppositely bent formation, and repeating said process toabrade the opposite side of said blade.

8. The method of making a cutting blade, comprising bending and holding said blade to a curved shape, passing an abrasive means across said blade at a curved surface thereof in a plane to remove a portion of such curved surface and produce an indentation in the cutting edge of said blade, and shifting said blade longitudinally of itself to thereby form a plurality of such indentations.

9. The method of forming a resilient cutter blade, which comprises bending the blade to produce a convex surface, holding said blade in its bent shape, abrading one edge of said convex surface in a plane at an angle to the normal plane of said blade completely through said edge to remove metal of gradually increased amounts from spaced points on said edge to a point-intermediate said spaced points and form a beveled and curved scallop between said spaced points, and repeating the operation at intervals throughout the length of said blade.

JOHN HANSEN. 

